This was my first trip to Rome, and I really hit the vacation jackpot when I settled on the Hotel Castellino as my hq for a nine-day stay. It literally offered everything I look for when traveling abroad. The room was clean, air-conditioned, quiet, and even spacious by European standards. The bed was very comfortable, the bathroom was roomy and serviced by unlimited hot water, outlets were plentiful, and lighting fixtures were more than sufficient for every need. The staff was uniformly friendly and helpful, maid service was impeccable, and the rate-included daily breakfast buffet was as extensive as it was delicious. (I never ate lunch during my entire trip.) But most import of all is the LOCATION! You are literally situated at the dead-center of the historic district. It's a five-minute walk to the Roman Forum, ten to the Colosseum (which is also the closest Metro stop)/Pantheon/Trevi Fountain, and no more than twenty to any other tourist destination in Rome. The immediate surroundings are busy and lively, but perfectly safe; a carabinieri station--Italy's national police--is right next door. You can easily walk your entire holiday, but if you do decide to use mass transit (the summer sun is blistering), major stops for the east-west and north-south bus lines are only a block or two from the hotel. Whenever I return to Rome--and I WILL return after as enjoyable a vacation as I just spent--I will definitely book my lodgings at the Hotel Castellino every time.